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Rich Lesser
Global Chair
New York

Rich Lesser is the Global Chair of Boston Consulting Group (BCG). He previously served as BCG's CEO from 2013-2021, a period of exceptional growth for the firm across all regions and practice areas. During his tenure as CEO, Rich oversaw the launch of BCG Digital Ventures, a builder and accelerator of digital businesses; BCG GAMMA, a cutting-edge advanced analytics, machine-learning and AI team; BCG TURN, a rapid performance acceleration unit; and the BCG Center for Climate & Sustainability. As CEO, Rich initiated BCG's pledge to reach net zero climate impact by 2030.

Rich currently serves as chief advisor to the World Economic Forum’s Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, on the steering committee of the Council for Inclusive Capitalism, on the board of directors of the Centre for Public Impact, and is a member of several leading organizations, such as the WEF’s Community of Chairpersons, the EDISON Alliance, Southern Communities Initiative, among others. He previously served on the Business Roundtable board of directors and WEF's International Business Council. He accelerated BCG’s strong investments in social impact through its long-standing partnerships, including the World Food Programme, Save the Children, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), along with many global health and environment initiatives.

Rich served as BCG’s chairman for North and South America from 2009 to 2012 and as head of the New York Metro office system from 2000 to 2009. Prior to joining BCG in 1988, Rich worked in product development at Procter & Gamble. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BSE in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan College of Engineering, where he now serves on the Leadership Advisory Board.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

EDUCATION

  • MBA, with high distinction, Harvard Business School
  • BSE, chemical engineering, summa cum laude, University of Michigan

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • Top CEO in the US, Glassdoor, 2021
  • Excellence in Public Policy Award, Committee for Economic Development, 2019
  • ChE Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Michigan, 2018
  • Honoree, Catalyst Awards Conference, 2018
  • Honoree, America Needs You Benefit, 2015
  • Top 25 Consultants, Consulting Magazine, 2009
  • Baker Scholar, Harvard Business School

Publications and Videos

Put Talent at the Top of the Sustainability Agenda | Rectangle

Put Talent at the Top of the Sustainability Agenda

To meet ambitious climate goals, companies must rapidly reskill workers—and share the lessons they learn with others.
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The So What Podcast from BCG:
Rich Lesser on Climate, Hard Truths, and Hope

Climate change is precipitating the largest industrial transformation since World War II, perhaps ever. BCG’s global chair, Rich Lesser, explains what it means for CEOs and business leaders.
Winning the 20s in an Accelerated Post-COVID World

Winning the ’20s in an Accelerated Post-COVID World

Leaders now need to refocus on the long term and attend to five key imperatives.
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Leading Through the Big Transition to the New Reality

Emergence from the pandemic will depend on human behavior, people feeling safe in the world and in the workplace, and workers becoming healthier and more productive. This is largely a project for the private sector.
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Getting to the COVID-19 Finish Line

The end of the pandemic must unfold in three acts. To save the most lives and defeat the virus swiftly, we need to understand the coming sequence—and work on all fronts simultaneously.
How President-Elect Biden Will Approach Global Trade

How President-Elect Biden Will Approach Global Trade

The new administration will fight to advance and protect US economic interests—but America will no longer go it alone.
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A Plan for Facing the Long COVID Winter

The worst of the pandemic could still lie ahead. We need a new approach to save lives and livelihoods.
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Vaccines Aren’t the End of the Fight, but the End of the Beginning

Governments cannot let the most vulnerable be the least protected again. Countries, regions, and states can still get the rollout right through science, hard work, and vigilance.
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Protect the Vulnerable—Protect Us All

Reducing exposure among those who are vulnerable to adverse health outcomes will benefit the healthy, the economically vulnerable, and society overall.
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Leading Out of Adversity

Survival is top of mind today for many companies, but thriving is the long game. That calls on leaders to respond to a new environment, a new customer, and heightened societal expectations. Here are five imperatives for adapting to and shaping the post-COVID world.
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COVID-19 and the Question That Matters Most

We must flatten the curve in the near term. But soon we in the US—and around the world—must figure out how to do so over the longer term, by mobilizing on multiple fronts, writes BCG CEO Rich Lesser on Fortune.com.
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A Leadership Agenda for the Next Decade

Multiple challenges—the rapid advance of AI and other technologies, a changing global economic order, and the increased scrutiny of business, among others—are reshaping the competitive environment. Here are five ways leaders can get ahead of those trends.
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